Alcohol reforms could have gone further

Labour MPs Charles Chauvel, Carol Beaumont and Carmel Sepuloni who all sat on the select committee that considered the Alcohol Reform Bill said the final decisions do not go far enough.

"Basic steps such as lowering the legal blood alcohol level have been missed. There should be a comprehensive all of Government approach to tackling alcohol consumption this has not happened," Charles Chauvel said.

"Labour is also disappointed that despite the growing evidence that alcohol advertising increases the likelihood that young people will start drinking or that they will drink more if they already drink the Government has decided, as with minimum pricing and the legal alcohol level for driving, to kick this issue for touch and refer it to an 'expert forum'," Carol Beaumont said.

"The volume of alcohol available to New Zealanders is increasing with an increase of 5.5% in last year alone. Alcohol harm is significant not only in terms of the harm to the drinker but also harm caused to others as a result of their drinking," Carmel Sepuloni said.

"This bill does not take into consideration the myriad of factors that have resulted in the need for reform in alcohol laws. This bill makes minor improvements in the current regime," Carmel Sepuloni said.

Click here for the full Labour minority report (pdf).

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